A lyrical, fictionalized retelling of the life of an 11th-century Tibetan yogi who transforms from a young man consumed by vengeance and black magic into a remorseful seeker guided by a stern guru through trials, ascetic practice and solitary meditation in the mountains, ultimately attaining spiritual awakening; the narrative explores themes of karma, repentance, the power of discipline and compassion, and the redemptive possibilities of rigorous inner work rendered in clear, evocative prose.